Lasagna with
Meat Ragu
SERVES 8
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 small onion, finely
chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 small rib celery with leafy
tops, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely
chopped
1 lb. ground veal
8 oz. ground beef
1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp. finely chopped
fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1∕8 tsp. ground cloves
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1∕2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken or veal stock
5 tbsp. butter
5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 cups milk , warmed
Freshly grated or ground
nutmeg
8 to 10 fresh lasagna
sheets, boiled for
2 minutes and drained , or
16 to 20 no-boil lasagna
sheets, preferably Barilla
11∕2 to 2 cups freshly grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano or
Grana Padano
Chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley, for garnish■For the ragu, in a large skillet
or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil
over medium. When it ripples,
melt in the 1 tbsp. butter. Add
the onion, carrot, celery, and
garlic; partially cover and cook,
stirring occasionally, until
softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add
the meat, sage, rosemary, bay
leaf, and cloves; season with
salt and pepper. Cook, stirring
often and breaking up the meat
with a spoon, until browned,
10 to 12 minutes. Add the
tomato paste; stir 1 minute. Add
the wine; cook, stirring often,
until absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the stock, reduce the heat
to low, and simmer, stirring
occasionally, until sauce
thickens and f lavors meld,
about 30 minutes. Discard the
bay leaf.
■For the besciamella, in a
saucepan, melt the 5 tbsp.
butter over medium. Add the
f lour and whisk 1 minute to
blend. Whisk in the milk;
season with salt, pepper, and a
little nutmeg. Cook the sauce
until thick enough to coat the
back of a spoon, whisking
occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes.
■Preheat the oven to 375°. Coat
the bottom of a 3-qt. lasagna
dish or two 8-inch square
baking dishes with a thin layer
of besciamella. Top with
lasagna sheets, cutting if
needed, to cover in a single
layer. Top with a thin layer of
besciamella and a layer of ragu;
sprinkle with cheese. Repeat
layering with the remaining
lasagna sheets, besciamella,
ragu, and cheese, ending with
besciamella and cheese.
■Bake until browned and
bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.
Let stand 20 minutes
before cutting. Top with
chopped parsley.NOODLES
DRY noodles
are the most
common. They
need to be
cooked until
al dente and
drained before
assembling
lasagna.NO-BOIL (aka
oven-ready
noodles) are
convenient and
their quality
has improved in
recent years.FRESH noodles
are handmade
or found
in specialty
markets.
Purchased
noodles come
in large sheets.
Precook them
according to
package
directions for
the best texture.